Category: News

I am attempting to keep you updated on happenings in the Village. While it’s obvious that we are on “pause”, families are still trying to exercise with children and walk their dogs. Some parents have suggested putting teddy bears in windows or displaying rainbows. The children will look for them and count them. Something fun! You remember fun?!!!! If you haven’t stocked up on wine and other similar beverages, get to Red Gamay by tomorrow afternoon. The attached note is a notice from them informing us that they will close tomorrow night until the “pause” is over. The Better Bagel and Brownstone’s will take phone orders. They are doing curbside pick-up and delivery. Check thebetterbagel.ny.com for more details. Park Ave. Grille Raimo’s and Athena, as well as Amity Ales are also open for take-out. Others may be open too. Call first to check. As noted earlier, Vittorio’s is closed. Please try to maintain social distancing when out. Remind teenagers that they are included in this. Dr. Kelly informs us that a student in our High School tested positive. We are a community that cares. This will pass….flowers are blooming, the days are longer. Find joy wherever and whenever you can. Stay well, safe and calm. Joan

Black Friday attracts crowds, and crowds attract scammers!  The bad guys are at it again, please take extra care when shopping online and on premise.   Here are tips to help you navigate the increasingly dangerous world of cyber security.  Especially this time of the year, don’t let the bad guys exploit your holiday spirit against you.  Stay alert and think before you click!

1. Never click on links in emails. If you want to shop at a site, enter that site address in your browser. There are thousands of fake sites that look almost identical to the real thing. Don’t fall for evil-twin shopping sites.
   2. Don’t open attachments with special offers. It’s a classic scam. The offer should be in the email and you should be able to see it right away.
   3. Watch for malicious ads and popups. Do not click on ads that sound too good to be true, and ignore popups that might propose the “best deal ever”.
   4. Beware of e-skimmers. This is a new one. Do you know that bad guys sometimes skim your credit card at gas stations or ATMs? Well, there is a new flavor of that, the shopping website you order from might be infected with a “e-skimmer” and they steal your card data when you check out. You can prevent that by using PayPal or Amazon.
   5. Use a credit card to buy stuff online if possible. NEVER use a debit card to make online purchases but use that debit card to take out cash only.
   6. Do not shop over a public Wi-Fi. You simply do not know if it’s secure and who is listening. Only shop using a secure, trusted network. If you have no other way to shop, use a VPN which encrypts your traffic.
   7. Be very careful when you see a free offer during the holidays. There is an explosion of all kinds of survey fraud and gift card scams.
   8. Do not re-use any of your passwords. Instead, use a password manager to create hard-tobreak passwords. Re-using any password is literally an invitation to get hacked.
   9. Keep a close eye on your credit card and bank accounts. During this season, unexpected and strange charges might appear which could very well be the first sign your card or even your whole identity has been stolen. If you think you might have been scammed, stay calm and call your credit card company, nix that card and get a new one.
   10. Be especially suspicious of gift card scams. They can be a perfect holiday gift, but gift card scams are skyrocketing. Only buy gift cards from trusted sources.

Hello Friends! Opening Day for the Amityville Village Farmers’ Market, Sponsored by the Bay Village Civic Association, is on Saturday, June 15th from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Thus far, the following vendors have confirmed their participation: Baked at Home, What.The.Soap, Carucci Farms, Horman’s Pickles, Open Minded Organics, Monte’s Bread, Bella Luv, Young Living, El Creative, Lolo’s Creations, and South Shore Home Decor. Also joining us will be the Amityville Public Library. If you are interested (or if you know someone who may be) in joining our growing farmers’ market, please send your inquiry to amityfarmersmarket@gmail.com. We are excited for the upcoming season!!

It was our pleasure to honor the memory of Peter Keller and his achievements at our recent Brunch. With almost one hundred fifty people in attendance, including Pete’s widow, Patricia, the attendees appreciated viewing Pete’s designs as centerpieces. There were public and private spaces throughout the Village and Town of Babylon. Quite a legacy! NYS Senator John Brooks, Town of Babylon Councilperson Jackie Gordon, and Village of Amityville Mayor Dennis Siry, accompanied by most of the Board, recognized Peter’s efforts to beautify the Village. The BVCA presented a plaque to Patricia, as well as a proclamation to his partners at Keller Sandgren. Peter’s time on the Planning Board, as well as his beautiful designs, and those of his firm, have helped fulfill our mission……to preserve the charm and historic character of the Village. The Brunch was delicious, while the auction featured many wonderful prizes. Chairperson Kathy Ward and her committee did a fantastic job. Many thanks to Margaret and Meghan Brooks for offering their musical talents, too! Funds raised will be used towards scholarships and projects to beautify the Village.

The number of people who attended the Brunch was almost overwhelming. So many individuals and groups wanted to join us in paying tribute to the Ricciutis. As the award noted, they are “an inspiring couple”. The Bay Village Civic Assoc. was grateful for everyone’s support for the auction. Both businesses and individuals were generous in making donations. We look forward to using the funds towards a project for the betterment of the Village. In addition, scholarships will continue to be awarded to Amityville H.S. seniors, based on community service and school record. Thank you to the entire committee, headed by Kathy Ward. Margaret and Meghan Brooks were once again generous in providing their wonderful musical talents. Dale Yarmosh was our unofficial photographic chronicler. If you haven’t already seen it, you may want to look at the February 7 edition of “The Record”. Using Carolyn James’ pictures, as well as Dales’, there is a two-page centerfold spread of the Brunch, as well as a back-page story. It was a very nice tribute to us and Ellen and Vinnie Ricciuti.

In an effort to patronize a variety of Village restaurants, the Bay Village Civic Association held their 2017 Holiday Party at The One Asian Bistro. It was an exceptional event. The food was varied, plentiful and delicious. The entire staff couldn’t have been more accommodating. Holiday decorations brightened everyone’s spirits. Evidence of that can be seen in the pictures here. Many thanks again to Dale and Jill Yarmosh for their efforts to capture the moments. Proceeds from a large wine basket were used towards a major project donated to the Village. BVCA President Joan Donnison displayed a rendering of a new entranceway sign at the eastern entrance to the Village on Merrick Rd. Through many fundraising events, and with the assistance of former Board members Barbara Strick, Doris Reynolds, Ethel Mac Gill, Diane Apgar, and Martha Peterson, as well as the current BVCA Board members, a check was presented to the Village at the December 11 Board of Trustees’ meeting. This new sign will replace an older, deteriorating one in front of the Ketcham/Woods Preserve. In the future, other organizations may choose to “adopt a sign” to help beautify the Village.